Wine Journalism

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• How a Salad Bar Disaster Changed the Course of U.S. Wine History

The history of America's weird no added sulfite organic wine laws revealed at last

• Celebrate Life: The Wines and the People at Miljenko Grgich's 100th Birthday Celebration

Rare historic wines, pivotal moments and family and friends - Croatian born Mike Grgich’s 100 year long life were celebrated in two days of festivities earlier this month, with luminaries and friends from far and wide that illustrated the arc of his career beginning with his arrival in the valley in 1958.

• From Wood Chips and Mushroom Extracts to Vintner Coalitions: Government Funded Ecosystem Restoration Projects Enhance Vineyard Resilience

How Russian River community growers, Jackson Family Wines, and the Dry Creek Rancheria Pomo tribe worked together to leverage millions in government grants from conservation agencies to overcome the twin climate challenges of wildfire and drought and build ecosystem resilience.

• "Plant Based and Climate Friendly": SF Chronicle's Esther Mobley Tells Wineries to Woo Younger Consumers with Green Messaging

Leading wine writer tells industry Gen Z and Millennials care a lot about climate, recommends leveraging that interest

• Sonoma Valley's Rossi Ranch Acclaimed as To Kalon for Grenache

An old vine vineyard planted in 1910 finds new life in Rhone varieties sought after by 100 point winemakers from Napa

• California Pesticide Regulators Set a New Course to Reduce Toxic Chemicals

Top agencies signal an agro-ecological shift and softer materials may lie ahead

• Vineyard Automation Faces State Labor Regulation Challenges, Unified Symposium Expert Panel Finds

Self driving tractors in vineyards must overcome outdated regulations based on 80 year old technology, growers say 

• USDA Climate Smart Ag Grant Funds Five Year, $2 Million Soil Carbon Inventory Project for Fine Wine Producers

Local soil samples and computer algorithms will model soil carbon parameters and pinpoint changes, advancing research by reducing the cost of soil carbon sampling with low cost modeling methods based on large datasets.

• New Tech: Two Soil Carbon Measurement Startups Get a Boost from USDA Climate Smart Ag Grants

USDA funds startups trying to increase and lower costs of soil carbon measurement methods.

• Winners and Losers in New Consumer Study on Nutritional and Ingredient Wine Labeling

Low sugar–a winner. Sulphur dioxide–a loser. The study was as revealing about consumer preferences as it was about consumer perceptions.

• TTB Likely to Seek Wine Industry Input on Nutritional Wine Labeling in 2023

While the EU is already poised to finalize new regulations on nutritional wine labeling, the federal government in U.S. is beginning the process.

• Wine Industry Finance Conference Financial Symposium Closing Keynote: Growing Stoller Wine Group

Gary Mortenson's journey from tech startup veteran to wine industry growth champion and innovator

• Turning Data into Sales and Profit

Insights from industry leaders at the Wine Industry Finance Conference on optimizing wineries bottom lines through smart business practices

• California Exports: The Money's in the Middle

 Post pandemic powwow connects 80 buyers, 26 countries to California

• Scout & Cellar's Road to Growth

Social selling combined with mostly organic standards and nutritional info a winning combination

• Landmark $369 Billion Federal Climate Bill Provides Wine Industry with Funding to Combat Climate Change

Growers' perks: electric pickups, fire prevention, water storage and more

• Top Retailers Outline Buying Programs for Private Label and Branded Wines

Top buyers for BevMo and Target weigh in on organics and more

• Southern Glazer's Sustainability Ramps Up

Giant distributor on green journey

• From E. & J. Gallo to Whole Foods and Napa: Brands Are Increasingly Going Organic

Black Box to test organic, Central Coast expands organic acreage, and Napa's organic estates double in number in 6 years

• The Return of Hospice du Rhone

After pandemic, joy in being together

• Experts Deliver State of the Art Advice on Smoke Taint at Unified Wine Grape Symposium

Top smoke researchers reveal findings

• Knowledge is Power, Says USDA's California Climate Hub Director in Unified Wine Grape Symposium Keynote

USDA to collect and publish its research on drought

• What Wine for Tomorrow? Wine in the Face of Climate Challenges, Paints Picture of Possible Future

French wine expert's comprehensive guide on climate change and wine 

• French Wine Critics Rate Organic and Biodynamic Wines 6-12 Points Higher in Scores Compared to Conventional or Sustainable Wines, Wine Economists Find

A study of 128,000 wines over 20 years brings insights; wine economists say better farming correlates with better scores

• Levels of the Game: Game-Changing Moves On Instagram

Wineries look to pictures to boost appeal

• Running dry: Groundwater depletion expert says California water crisis urgently needs state action

Scientist Jay Famiglietti calls on state to be more pro-active on water storage and planning

• Jancis Robinson at Napa RISE: “The younger you are, the more concerned you are." 

Wine's most famous chronicler lambasts heavyweight bottles in wine.

• Vineyard Management Software: New Technologies Encourage Better Business and Vineyard Decisions

As ag tech investments shifts into high gear, the digital toolkit is rapidly expanding, arming growers with a wide variety of tools to track and optimize their farming. PLUS: an interview with researcher Mason Earles at the AI and Biophysics Lab at U.C. Davis

• Facing Early Frost Risks from Climate Change, Bordeaux Experiments with New Blends 

Merlot has a distinct downside | 2022 [pdf, page 38-45]

• Sustainability Meets Finance:  Eco-Performance Based Loans, Investors, Retailers and New State Regulations Fuel Climate Progress (or see pdf)

An eco-financial sea change is afoot | 2022

MARKETING AND TECH ISSUES

• Depletions and Beyond: Data and Software Accelerate and Align the Three Tiers (pdf)

How software telegraphed market changes and informed distributor planning during pandemic | 2021

• The Big Pivot: The Wine Industry's Data-Driven Marketing Transformation (pdf)

Looking at the numbers, more and more | 2020

• From Cash Register to Competitive Advantage: POS as MVP (pdf)

Turning transactions into actionable data | 2019

• Wine and Water - Wine Cruises: A Perfect Pairing 

Cruise industry embraces wine education as an attraction.

• East and West: Two Evans and Two Takes on Easter Wines

Two coasts, two comms, two picks on what wines to serve for this festive occasion.

• From Farm to Table to House Ground Heirloom Masa, Mexican Restaurants Rise to New Heights

Another immigrant food category climbs the culinary ladder of taste

• EcoWine Explained (pdf) or LINK

Organic, biodynamic and sustainable: an explainer

• Going Green 

What makes eco-certified wines unique: explainer

• Bordeaux's Ecological Push

More than 300 wineries are converting to organic certification

• Why Organic Winegrowing Can Be More Profitable Than Conventional

Site, skill, quality and markets make the difference | 2021

• What It Costs to be Certified Organic | 2017

• The Organic Opportunity: Will the U.S. Miss Out? (op-ed) | 2018

• Green Wine: Where Are We Now?

Who's organic and why

• Organic Wines Uncorked

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